In the Spirit of Fire
by shockandlock
Summary: For MarcoAce week on tumblr. Seven days to showcase the relationship between the fire-user and the phoenix aboard the Moby Dick. Different prompt for every day. Day 7: Ace and Marco try to be discreet, but some crew members are more observant than others.
1. Day 1: Fire

**A/N: Well, hello. It's MarcoAce week on tumblr, and i just couldn't resist writing about my otp! I'm not really the best with romance, so if you're reading this, _please_ bear with me. I can't say this is my first time writing fanfiction since I have an old account, but I don't really know what to do with those stories anymore. I'm not the best author, so these will probably be pretty short, but I guess i just want to celebrate the week!**

**Enjoy! (Also please review)**

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**Day 1: Fire**

**Summary: They **_**do**_** say that opposites attract. **

Although Marco's flames heavily contrasted Ace's, the two fire users aboard the Moby Dick were together _a lot_. The beautiful light blues of the phoenix burned brightly just like Ace's flashy reds and oranges, but they were still very different. Ace's flames were a flurry of destruction while Marco's were a calming dance that ran over his body as he soared.

And yet, Marco couldn't help but feel attracted to the younger man.

He blamed his instincts. The phoenix inside him burned with desire every time Ace lit aflame. Ace's fire may have been for fighting, but to Marco it served no harm and was undeniably alluring. All he wanted was to reach out and touch the brilliant fire, but Marco pushed the feelings down, afraid of what Ace might think. Marco was much too old for the teen and besides, he didn't even know if Ace was attracted to men.

The fire wasn't the only reason that Marco liked -daresay, _loved_- Ace. As the First Division Commander, Marco found himself constantly babysitting some members of the crew, but Ace's childish side was just plain _adorable _(Marco would deny that thought if you asked him). It was the curiosity that shined in his eyes, so eager to see the world and learn new things. Just thinking about it tinged Marco's cheeks with a blush.

During Ace's first few months on the Moby Dick, Marco thought that he was an irritating brat. But over time, Ace had softened, showing a side of his self that illuminated Marco's life like nothing else. After this happened, Marco started spending more time with Ace. Sometimes he had to think of some excuse like training or paperwork (which was a pretty dumb excuse considering how incompetent Ace is when it came to paperwork), but Marco was content as long Ace was in his company. This especially applied when it was just the two of them.

Marco was pretty proud of the self-control he held when he was around the young fire user. He only let his control slip once and a while to ruffle the boy's raven hair, but other than that, Marco had refrained himself from touching Ace too intimately. One wrong touch could ruin their entire relationship. Unfortunately, his current predicament did not help in the slightest.

The two of them were alone together on night watch.

* * *

Ace held a heavy admiration for Marco. He just couldn't help it. The man's flames were intoxicatingly beautiful when they rolled off his winged form. Every time Ace saw it, his heart would skip a beat in awe. The way that Marco used his fire to regenerate was unlike anything Ace had ever seen. It was amazing yet unfathomable. Ace, whose flames could only used to destroy, appreciated Marco even more for this. He wanted to reach out and touch those flames. The flames that didn't alert Ace to any danger. The flames that burned brilliantly.

The young man was obsessed. It was not only Marco's flames that drew him in, but his personality as well. Marco's personality was the exact opposite of Ace's, but maybe that's what attracted him so much. Marco was mature and responsible while Ace was reckless and scatterbrained. All his life, Ace had been the older brother, but after he joined Whitebeard, albeit after many attempts on the captain's life, he suddenly found himself as the youngest. Of course, being the youngest, the other crew members saw it their duty to take care of him, especially Marco. At first, Ace saw him as a role model, as the brother he should have been to Luffy. Time passed and Ace's feelings grew.

They grew into love.

Every spare moment he had, he chose to spend with the blonde-haired man. The phoenix didn't seem to mind, and that made Ace happy in his own right. He trained with Marco, talked with Marco while doing chores, and even helped Marco with _paperwork_. _Paperwork! _Ace _knew_ that should've been the _least bit_ suspicious when he agreed to help Marco with _that_, but Ace didn't care as long as he got to spend time with the man.

For the first time in his life, Ace found himself struggling with his desire. Every time he wanted to stroke the man's feathers, or every time he wanted to throw himself on the phoenix's body, he held himself back. He had become a coward, fearful of what might happen if Marco found out about Ace's affections. To Ace, these feelings were ridiculous.

He loved Marco so much that it was almost _painful_. The more time Ace spent with the man, the more his self-control slipped. He lingered with touches of their hands. He hugged the man more intensely. It didn't help that Ace seemed to blush more and more around him. But now…

It was just the two of them.

* * *

Form the first time in awhile, there was a strange silence between the two fire users. They were required to patrol the empty deck, so they didn't really have time to stop and chat. In any other situation they would've, but with both of them struggling with their waning self control, they avoided each other like they would burn if they touched.

After some time had passed, Marco went to patrol elsewhere on the ship, leaving Ace alone on deck. The young man sighed. He really wanted to be with Marco right now. He was _so _close. With just the two of them, Ace could confess without too much trouble. On the other hand, if something went wrong, he probably wouldn't be able to muster enough courage to talk to the blonde again. This crush was just causing Ace too much stress!

Suddenly, he stood up, deciding in that moment that he would let things go and relax for a change. He ignited his fingertips, releasing a small ball of flame. He continued this until the deck was illuminated with fire, shining brightly in the night. In theory, Ace could make them explode if he wanted, but it was comforting to just let his fire out. For once, his fire wasn't annihilating enemies. It was calm and graceful, like Marco's. They weren't nearly as beautiful, but Ace couldn't help but grin at the sight.

Without warning, strong arms embraced him from behind and knocking his hat off of his head. "Marco?"

The man didn't respond for a moment, simply resting his chin on Ace's head. Then, turning Ace around in his arms, he whispered, "Ace…"

When Marco had seen Ace light up the deck with his fire, his self-control crumbled. It was quite a change of pace to not see the balls of flame explode, but Marco liked it. He liked the way that the light made Ace's grin glow even brighter.

Earlier he had wandered off so he could have some space to think. He needed to decide what to do about his feelings for Ace, but after seeing him like that, his body moved on his own and decided for him. Marco held the young man tightly, taking in the warmth of his natural fire.

"Marco?" Ace gasped, but the phoenix didn't respond right away.

'_Please let me have this moment,'_ Marco pleaded silently.

Ace hadn't moved from Marco's arms yet, so he turned him, clutched him tighter, and whispered, "Ace…"

The boy was quick to answer, but in a flustered manner. "Ah! Er… Do you like them, Marco? I know it's kinda weird for me, but I think it's nice." A blush appeared on Ace's cheeks.

Unconsciously, Marco let his thoughts slip through his lips. "Cute…"

"Eh?!" Ace yelped, blush intensifying.

And that's when Marco decided to let it all go and take a chance on his emotions. He pulled back from Ace and lifted the boy's chin up, bringing their lips together. He hadn't expected any response, but Ace moved his lips against the older man's adding passion to the kiss. Eventually, they pulled away to breathe and Marco embraced Ace once again.

"I love you, Ace."

"I love you too, Marco."


	2. Day 2: Cuddling

**A/N: Day 2! This one's shorter, but it was a little more fun to write than the last you to Animezpeps and Aerle for reviewing! And also to Aerle, I notice that I write Ace in a cutesy way, and I didn't even notice til you pointed it out.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Day 2: Cuddling**

**Summary: Marco has to do paperwork. Ace is lazy.**

When Marco woke, he was not surprised when he felt muscled arms wrapped around his torso. He chuckled, smiling down at the sleeping form of his younger lover. Unfortunately, such a moment could not last. Being First Mate and First Division Commander, Marco was tasked with immense amounts of paperwork. Paperwork that was due later today.

He pried at Ace's arms gently. "Wake up, yoi," he whispered.

The young man stirred, but did not wake up. "Nghhh," he groaned softly.

Marco chuckled. Ace looked so vulnerable when he slept and it was adorable. He usually never let his guard down, and this was a sight that only Marco was allowed to see (his narcoleptic attacks were silly and therefore discounted by Marco). He leaned in and kissed the boy's forehead. "Ace... I know you're awake. Get up. I have paperwork to do, yoi."

He pulled away just long enough to see Ace's sleepy pout. Then, without warning, his lover buried his face in his chest and whined, "No... Too early, Marco."

He was stubborn too. His grip around Marco became tighter and he was refusing to let go.

To be fair, Marco would usually have his paperwork done, but since he had been spending more time with Ace, he held it off. It was strange how someone could come into his life and break up his usual routine.

He smiled and pressed his face into raven locks. He'd let it slide this time. Marco was fast and efficient, so he could finish his work later. Marco closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lulled back into sleep by Ace's steady breathing.

* * *

The afternoon had rolled around and it was time for Marco to do his paperwork. He had a few stacks left, but with some hard work and no distractions, the work could be finished far before it was due.

"Marco!" an undoubtedly recognizable voice called. Sure enough, Ace came barreling through the door of their shared room. "I'm bored!" he complained, diving into the covers of their bed.

"And I'm busy, yoi," the man responded, shooting the younger one an annoyed look.

Ace's head popped up from under the blanket. For some strange reason, he had not been expecting Marco to refuse his offer. "But..."

"No, yoi. You know that this is due today. What will Pops say if I turn it in late, hm?"

"Fine," Ace grumbled.

For a while, Marco was able to look over the papers in peace. Then suddenly Ace stood and yanked Marco to the floor with a thud. The young man moved and sat stubbornly between his legs. Grinning, he looked up at Marco mischievously. "I'll just sit here, then. Now this way we both get what we want." He adjusted himself so that his back was snug against Marco's chest.

"Ace-" he started, but was interrupted by soft snores.

Sometimes Ace's narcolepsy was just too damn convenient.

He sighed and picked up the stack of papers that fell to the ground. Resting his chin on top of his lover's head, he continued to work.

_'This really isn't that bad.'_


	3. Day 3: Modern AU

**A/N: Welcome to day 3 of MarcoAce week! Personally, I can't wait to see all the different AU's that people have come up with. Also, more cutesy Ace for you guys. Also to Animezpeps, I didn't really get the ending for yesterday's prompt from anywhere. I just thought it was cute.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Day 3: Modern AU**

**Summary: Work has been affecting their daily routine, and Ace wants to be a good boyfriend for Marco. Also, silly fantasies.**

Sometimes, Ace felt useless in this relationship. Marco was the one who worked. Marco was the one who cleaned. Marco was the one who cooked. Ace was like a housewife, if a housewife was a stack of bricks. Whenever Marco would come home, Ace would just be sitting there on the couch, watching TV.

Friday came, and Ace decided that enough was enough. He didn't want to be a useless weight anymore! Marco was once again late, and would undoubtedly show up tired with bags under his eyes.

So naturally, Ace was going to cook for him.

In his mind, the scenario played out wonderfully. Marco would get home, too tired to cook, and say, _"I'm sorry, Ace. Let's just order takeout, okay?" _And then, he would see the amazing feast Ace had cooked up. _"Ace, you're amazing, yoi! How did you do all this?"_

And Ace would respond, _"I just tried to follow what you do when you cook, Marco. Do you like it?"_

_"Like it? I love it!"_ Then Marco would take Ace in his arms and touch their lips in one of those cheesy rendezvous-on-the-beach kisses.

Ace shook his head, snapping himself out of his embarrassing thoughts.

"Alright!" he shouted, getting up from the couch. "Let's get to work!"

* * *

The room was a mess. Various ingredients littered the counters, cool air spilled out of the opened fridge, and the smoke alarm was blaring, piercingly loud. Marco simply stared at Ace, who stood in the middle of a burnt kitchen holding a frying pan incriminatingly.

"Ace, what happened, yoi?" he asked with a sigh.

The young man in question bit his lip, avoiding eye contact with his older lover. Seeing that was having a hard time getting a response, Marco pulled Ace over to the table to sit down. Thankfully, the alarm had stopped. "C'mon, yoi. You can tell me," he said, smiling and taking the other's hands reassuringly. He could feel that the Ace's palms were covered in a thin layer of sweat.

This was definitely different from the routine they had set the past few months. Usually, Marco would get home from work to find Ace lounging on the couch and watching TV. They would greet each other (this occasionally involved intimate contact) and Marco would cook up something for the two's dinner. Unfortunately, he had been given a lot more paperwork these past few days, causing him to arrive at their apartment much later. He should've known that something like this would happen. Perhaps the boy had gotten hungry and attempted to cook for himself.

"I-I'm sorry, Marco!" Ace stammered hastily, bowing his head.

"Just calm down and explain, yoi."

Once Ace had calmed down enough to look Marco in the eyes, he started rambling, still nervous. "I'm sorry that I ruined your kitchen, Marco! I was just trying to cook, but I didn't know what to make. I don't know how the stove works either, so I just turned it all the way up without thinking," he paused and took a deep breath. "It's just that, these past few days you've been getting home looking pretty tired. I really wanted to surprise you!" By now the young man had lost eye contact with Marco, a furious blush adorning his face.

Marco's heart swelled hearing this. So Ace had been thinking of him when he decided to cook and not his own stomach. He chuckled. To him, a flustered Ace was a cute one. "I'm not mad, Ace."

When he heard this, his head snapped up to look back at Marco. "You're not?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm touched that you would think to cook for me, yoi. Although, you should know better than to touch the stove, you little pyromanic," Marco joked.

"Yeah. I should've called Sanji first," the young man admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "You're really not mad?"

"Nope, but don't think this gets you of cleaning the kitchen later, yoi!"

The two looked over at the burnt mess. Without a doubt, there would be some heavy scrubbing involved. They would probably have to get some tiles replaced. The food still needed to be put back in the fridge too. They sighed. That was way too much work for one night.

Marco stood and offered a hand to Ace. "C'mon, yoi. Help me with the fridge and then we can go eat out. We'll save the rest of the work for tomorrow."

Ace grinned, taking the hand. "Sounds good. What do you think of an all you can eat buffet?"

"Perfect for you," the blond teased, ruffling his lover's hair.

"By the way, Marco," Ace paused and leaned up to peck Marco on the lips. "Welcome home!"


	4. Day 4: Angst

**A/N: I love writing angst and I love reading it. Does that mean I enjoy the tears that inevitably stream down my face _when_ reading angst? ABSOLUTELY NOT! **

**Enjoy!**

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**Day 4: Angst**

**Summary: Ace remembers the anchor that weighs him down.**

At first, Ace hadn't realized it, but he didn't deserve Marco.

The phoenix was amazing. Although serious at times, he was a true free spirit. The older man had been with Pops from the very beginning of the Whitebeard Pirates and as the first mate, he had gotten to know many other people.

People that were better for Marco.

In the amount of time the two had been together, Ace never felt this way. Before that, their relationship consisted of happy kisses and (very) lazy cuddling. Ace loved how the man would get concerned about him whenever he did something unusual. He loved how he was allowed to sleep in the phoenix's bed and wake up next to him. He loved just _being_ near the man.

Ace guessed that he had been blinded by that happiness of being with Marco, that he had forgotten just exactly who he was. It was the anchor that weighed him down.

Gol D. Ace: Son of the Pirate King.

The negative words he heard all that time ago seemed to echo in his mind.

_"A son of Roger? Someone like that doesn't deserve to exist!"_

_"He should be killed on the spot!"_

Now, Ace could hear the laughs of the drunkards more than ever, yet he didn't feel the burning anger. He only felt a crushing heartache.

And so he avoided Marco, trying to figure out how to tell him. He was desperate to hide, skipping meals and neglecting work. He was sure that he looked extremely unhealthy and pale.

Ace often ran over the scenario in his mind, trying to calculate how it would work out and what he would do when Marco inevitably rejected him. Unfortunately, no matter what he did, he hadn't been able to work up the nerve to confess. Ace just let the anxiety bloom until eventually, it felt suffocating.

It was selfish, but he didn't want to let go of Marco.

Now it was midnight on January 1st: Ace's birthday. There was no better time than now to tell him. The day that someone as worthless as Ace had come into this world. Everyone was drinking and partying for the New Year, so they were all distracted. Quietly, he approached his lover, a mug of rum shaking in his hands. He lifted a still shaking hand from the mug and tugged on Marco's shirt.

"Marco…" he whispered. The older man turned to him with a smile, but it turned to a look of concern as soon as he saw the low-spirited look on Ace's face.

"What's wrong, yoi?" he asked, gently placing a hand on the young pirate's shoulder.

"I need to talk to you," Ace continued. "_Alone."_

* * *

Marco was concerned about Ace. He had been avoiding Marco for a while now, and it was worrying him to _death_. The younger one was skipping meals, which was obviously unhealthy for a vacuum like Ace, and whenever Marco caught glimpses of him, he looked pale. He could tell that his lover was obviously concerned about something, but he just couldn't figure it out. Their relationship had been smoothly sailing along, and as far as Marco could tell, he did nothing wrong. Sometimes he thought that there was only one answer.

Ace had moved on.

Marco hated the thought, but it made his heart clench. Just spending time with Ace made him happy. Ace gave him something that no one else could: _completeness._ Ace wasn't perfect, but that's why Marco loved him. Sure the boy could be goofy and irresponsible, but it made Marco feel that he had to take care of him. When Marco was too stressed out or grumpy from paperwork, Ace was always there for him.

Marco didn't know what he would do without him. He didn't even know if he could let Ace go.

Now it was New Year's and the brat, _his_ brat, was nowhere to be found. Leaning against the railing, Marco swirled the rum in his mug. He found it hard to enjoy the festivities without Ace. The boy was just _so_ full of energy that, even if they weren't together, any party felt strange without him. Sighing, he continued to watch his drunken comrades dance foolishly around the deck.

After some time, Marco heard footsteps approach him from behind. He didn't need to look to know who it was. The older man smiled as he felt a soft tug at the back of his shirt.

"Marco..."

He turned to his lover, but frowned upon seeing Ace's expression. "What's wrong, yoi?"

The young man bit his lip and looked away. Finally, he continued, "Marco... I need to talk to you. _Alone._"

Hearing this, Marco could feel his stomach twist.

With a gentle hand, Marco led the two of their shared room. He sat down on the bed and gestured for Ace to sit next to him, but instead the fire user stayed standing.

"So, what do you want to talk about, yoi?" he asked, keeping his composure. Inside, Marco was panicking. He tried to stay calm, but he couldn't help clasping his hands together. He couldn't help thinking, _'Maybe this is the end.'_

Ace was having similar thoughts, so he was hesitant to respond right away. He didn't want Marco to leave him, but it the only outcome he could imagine. He could practically see the look of disgust on Marco's face when he finally found out, but there was no backing out now.

He couldn't stop himself from trembling, but he managed to start speaking. "It's my birthday today, Marco."

Marco looked a bit surprised at this as he cut off Ace's words. "Why didn't you tell me, yoi?" he exclaimed with relief. "We'll do something special at the next island. I promise." And then he stopped, seeing that Ace's clear anxiety had not vanished. There was still more to it, wasn't there?

"Hear me out, Marco," the younger pirate continued. "You don't have to do anything like that because after tonight, you won't want to."

Marco could feel a bit of anger surge up inside of him. Why would Ace ever think that? "And why the hell would that be, yoi?"

Ace took a deep breath. It was now or never.

The two could feel their own heartbeats speed up in preparation for heartbreak. Both were sure that the other was going to end it, but neither wanted to let go.

"The truth is... My real name is Gol D. Ace. My father was the Pirate King."

So that was it. It was no secret that Whitebeard and Roger were rivals, but for Ace to think Marco would break up with him just because of that? Marco couldn't say that he wasn't shocked. Considering how old Ace was (twenty years old now), it shouldn't even be possible.

Marco was so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed Ace choking back sobs.

"That's it, okay? Just say you don't want me and I'll leave. We can pretend we were never together. Things will go back to how they were!"

Suddenly Ace felt Marco pull him into his arms. He knew his lover was trying to be comforting, but it only hurt more. His sobs intensified as he gasped for air, and Marco embraced him harder.

"Shhh, Ace. Stop crying, yoi," the man whispered, stroking Ace's hair. "Listen to me. I don't give a damn about who your father is!"

The crying quieted and he heard a soft voice ask, "You don't?"

Marco shook his head. "Pops and Roger may have been rivals, but they didn't hate each other. All that matters is that you're you. That's why I love you, Ace." He pulled away to look at his lover. "I'll never want to leave you," he said as he wiped away Ace's tears.

_'How could I have been so stupid?'_ Ace thought. _'I never thought about how Marco would feel.'_

The feeling of love warmed his heart once again as the two leaned in to kiss. It wasn't overly intimate or passionate, but in that moment that's all they needed.

"Thank you, Marco," Ace breathed out when they pulled away from each other.

The phoenix smiled and pulled Ace to bed. Ace buried his face in Marco's chest and Marco kissed Ace's forehead. As they drifted off to sleep, Marco whispered, "Happy birthday, Ace."

And for Ace, the anchor vanished.


	5. Day 5: Dancing

**A/N: Dancing is such a cute prompt, but this prompt was kinda 'eh' for me (at least to write). I usually don't think to put song recommendations, but for a dance prompt i guess it fits. _Falling Slowly from Once the musical- _that's what I listened to while writing this and i think it would be fitting to listen while reading.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Day 5: Dancing **

**Summary: It was strange how Ace could make Marco try new things.**

Marco the Phoenix _did not _dance.

Dancing was better suited for the foolish drunks of the Moby Dick, and Marco was NOT a foolish drunk. As one of the more responsible members of the crew, it would ruin his image if he... _danced_.

His boyfriend on the other hand, was another story. Said boyfriend being one of the foolish drunks was _very_ enthusiastic when dancing during parties. As one could imagine, that did not spare Marco's secondhand embarrassment.

Often times Ace would try to convince Marco to dance, much to the amusement of their crew mates. After a while, Marco had developed a sense for it, so he was able to refuse immediately before he was asked. The conversation was always the same:

_"But, Marco..."_

_"No, Ace. Not today, yoi."_

_And Ace would pout childishly before walking away to get a drink._

Marco hoped that Ace had given up, but the young man was persistent. If Marco gave just even a little bit, Ace would stop at nothing.

It was as if Ace didn't understand the expectations the crew held for him. The crew looked up to the first mate. He needed to be an example for them. Dancing and goofing off was not ideal for a role model, at least not to Marco.

So now Marco was thinking of ways to get Ace to stop. The excuse of an injury was just plain silly and sickness was also out of the question. 'Good thing I took night shift today,' he thought, sighing. He needed some space to formulate a plan and the night shift was a good time for that.

Unfortunately, no such plan came to mind.

Just as he was about to give up and start patrolling, he felt arms wrap around his torso from behind. "Hi, Marco!" Ace sang cheerfully.

Although Marco had elected to take night watch alone today, he was not surprised that Ace decided to follow him. The boy was a restless sleeper without someone else (that someone else being Marco) and usually the two took shifts together in order to avoid the issue. "You should get some rest, yoi. You've been dancing yourself to death these past few nights," he responded after turning in his lover's arms.

The word 'dance' had come out his mouth without much thought. Hearing it made his lover smirk, bringing a sense of dread to Marco. "So THAT'S what you were thinking about," he said slyly.

'Crap.'

"Maybe you could do some of the dancing for me..."

Marco frowned. "Ace, you know I don't dance."

Ace pulled away and took Marco's hands. "C'mon, Marco! No one's around right now. It's just the two of us." He led Marco's hands to rest on his hips and placed his own on the back of his lover's neck. Slowly he began to sway the two back and forth.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Ace?" he questioned with hesitation.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

Grinning, he replied, "_We're_ dancing, Marco." He looked away only to lean his head on the older man's chest.

Though Marco did not mind the close contact with Ace, he still thought his plan was a bit ridiculous. There was something missing...

"We don't have music, yoi."

The young man didn't respond. Instead he began to hum softly. The melody was slow yet beautiful. It suited the atmosphere of their steady swaying well.

Finally giving into his lover's stubbornness, Marco relaxed and allowed Ace to sway. Strangely enough, he wasn't embarrassed at all. It was nice to hold Ace close to him. He didn't want it to end.

Resting his head on top of Ace's, he listened to Ace's humming and let himself dance.


	6. Day 6: Fighting

**A/N: So when the prompt is "fighting" are they fighting enemies or each other? Also, I can't write intimate touch. I tried. One day left. I'll be sad when this is all over. Luckily, I'm working on a few other things.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Day 6: Fighting**

**Summary: Ace doesn't understand why Marco worries about him so much.**

Ace stared over the expanse of ocean that stretched out in front of him and fingered bandages that he rarely ever needed. Usually the properties of his devil fruit allowed bullets to pass through his body, but the last crew they fought had managed to get their hands on some seastone.

The young man had almost forgotten what being shot was like. When he was hit, he felt an immense amount of pain, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. As a matter of fact, Marco was much more worried about it than he was.

But maybe he worried too much.

The conversation had gone downhill fairly quickly. Ace had been resting in the infirmary after the battle and Marco immediately went to check on him.

_"Marco, can't you see that I'm fine?" he said, trying to reassure his lover. "The bullet only hit my arm and my devil fruit powers accelerate the healing process! You have nothing to worry about."_

_Marco glared at him from his seat. "I know you're fine, yoi, but that's not the point, Ace." The man sighed. "That bullet could've hit your heart. And then what? You really need to be more careful!"_

_"But it didn't! Marco, I can take care of myself! Stop worrying!" Ace shouted in response._

_The older man stood abruptly. "You just don't get it. Do you?" he growled. With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him._

Ace was surprised at how his lover reacted. He thought Marco had more faith in him.

'Why is Marco so mad?' he thought sadly. His lover had stopped making eye contact with him and had even stopped talking to him. Marco would lock Ace out of their bedroom which would force him to sleep in the second division commander's room.

He sighed, resting his head on the railing.

"Yo, Ace!" It was Thatch. The fourth division commander approached him and pat him on the back "What's got _you_ so down?" he asked.

The fire user turned to look at his friend. "It's Marco. You know how he's not talking to me?" He continued after receiving a short nod. "Well I just think he worries too much."

Thatch sighed. "He's right, though."

"You're on _his_ side?!"

The brunette raised his arms in defense. "Whoa! Here me out for a second. Okay, buddy?"

Ace's tensed shoulders relaxed. He hadn't realized that he was so stiff.

He gave his friend a look as if to tell him to continue. "Look man," he started. "Marco's right to be worried about you. I mean, we're in the _New World_, right?"

"Yeah, but what's your point?"

"I've known Marco for a long time. We lost a lot of crew members over the years. You're not indestructible, Ace. He just _really_ doesn't want to lose you. He being overprotective of you is just some phoenix instinct."

Ace's eyes widened. 'His instincts?'

"I never really thought about it that way before," he admitted.

Thatch's expression turned to a smile. "Well there you go!" he exclaimed. "Just talk with him tonight. Okay? It's been a few days now, so I'm sure he's cooled down." Giving Ace another pat on the back he began to walk away.

"Hey, Thatch," Ace called, stopping him in his tracks. "Thanks."

By the time night rolled around, Ace was ready to talk to Marco. Standing outside the door to their room, he raised a fist and knocked. "Marco?"

He heard footsteps and the door was opened by the blond phoenix who looked worse for the wear. There were bags under his eyes and wrinkles in his clothes. His hair was a bit disheveled too. 'Have I really been stressing him out THIS much?'

"Can we talk?"

"Sure, yoi," Marco responded, moving aside for Ace to come in.

Once inside, he took a seat on the bed, Marco sitting next to him.

He took the older man's hand gently and began speaking. "I'm sorry, Marco. It's my fault you're like this. I was reckless and stupid and I know you worry about me with your instincts! I'm sorry. Okay?"

There was a moment of silence before Marco accepted Ace's apology by embracing him strongly.

"Wha- Marco?"

"I'm sorry too, yoi. I know it's dangerous out here in the New World, but I can't stop worrying about you! Every part of me just screams to protect you. I don't know what I'd do if you died!"

Hearing this, Ace wrapped his arms around Marco back. "Stupid, Marco! I'm not going to die!"

The blond pulled away for a second and ran a thumb across Ace's lips. They leaned in and kissed, lips moving against each other passionately. Marco pushed Ace down on the bed only to break the kiss and attack his lover's neck.

"Nnnhhha- Marco!"

"I'm going to take care of you, so never leave my side, yoi," the phoenix whispered between kisses to Ace's body.

Closing his eyes in contentedness, he whispered back, "I won't."


	7. Day 7: Random

**A/N: I think this was one of my favorite ones to write just because of the idea i had for it. Also the week is over and now I'm sad. I'll still probably go back and look at everything again though.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Day 7: Random**

**Summary: Ace and Marco try to be discreet, but some members of the Whitebeard Pirates are more observant than others.**

When the two had first gotten together, they elected to keep their relationship a secret. Marco was Ace's first _real_ boyfriend, and he didn't want the crew to ruin his lover's experience with teasing. You see, the crew was rather _enthusiastic_ whenever they found out one of their own was dating someone. As pirates, none of them had any time to find a partner. It was always a real shock when one of them did. Many of them would ask the poor soul questions like: 'How many kids have you had?' (this question was always accompanied by eyebrow wiggling) or 'When's the wedding?' and Marco didn't want to subject Ace to that.

Ace on the other hand was nervous. He was unsure of how the crew would react to his sexual orientation and somehow he figured just coming out saying he was dating Marco wouldn't be the best way to tell them. This was his first serious relationship. It would be ruined if the others disapproved of them! Besides, the crew was full of bigmouthed drunks. With _that_ knowledge, there was a chance they would go drinking, say the wrong thing while intoxicated, and then Marines that would possibly be there and overhear (Ace knew it was a stretch, but one could never be too sure). The Marines finding out equals shitty gramps finding out, and Ace didn't even want to imagine _that_ happening. If there was one person who wouldn't approve, it was definitely going to be him.

So they agreed to keep quiet, albeit for different reasons (though Marco tried to tell Ace that he shouldn't worry as much for his reason).

The two were secretive with every gesture and touch. They checked if anyone was watching anytime they made contact that would appear too intimate (even if was just a lingering touch of the hands or a hug that lasted a bit too long). Occasionally they would hold hands under the table. Luckily, no one noticed because of the immense piles of food that sat in front of Ace.

Something that caught the attention of a few crew members though, was that they began to spend more time together. Marco took more breaks more frequently. The observant pirates never failed to notice that these breaks were always spent with Ace. Whenever he was asked about it, he would always reply, "I'm just showing Ace the basics of being a commander, yoi. He's got potential."  
Ace would give a similar reason. A perfectly planned excuse, if you asked him, though many of the the others knew it was total bull.

They hadn't realized it, but over time they had become less and less careful. On top of spending breaks together they would eat together, take shifts together, and even go to bed at the same time! Marco was surprised that no one had called them out yet. No teasing or surprise intervention. In a way, this made him feel relieved.

But secrets can't be kept for too long, especially on the Moby Dick.

The hiding was beginning to stress the two out. Their paranoia had flared and it felt as if though they were being watched more and more often. They would be on break and feel a pair of eyes watching from the crow's nest or they would lean in for a kiss and a fellow crew member would come around the corner. This was also depriving Ace of much needed sleep since he had to watch the time he arrived in Marco's room at night and the time he left in the morning (which was unfortunately much too early).

It was stressing them out.

Eventually, Marco's anxieties subsided, but Ace was still nervous about the crew finding out. Marco had tried to reassure him that the crew didn't mind homosexual relationships and that they would be able to protect him if Garp found out, but he wouldn't let up. He just wasn't ready to tell them yet. Marco on the other hand, realized that he loved Ace too much to care about the teasing.

So here they were, relaxing during their night shift together, and Marco was trying to convince Ace to tell the crew.

"Marco, I know you're getting impatient, but I don't think I'm ready. I'm just not sure of what the crew would think and you don't know gramps like I do!" Ace insisted from his spot between Marco's legs.

"Don't say that, yoi. As long as you're on the Moby Dick, we'll be able to protect you," the blond responded, wrapping his arms around his younger lover.

"He'd probably throw me off the ship before that happened," the raven haired muttered. "It's weird. He was never really around much for me to ask him about stuff like this, yet I feel like he'd come after me and beat me up. Considering my sexuality and _who_ you actually are, that's a definite possibility."

"Hm," Marco grunted. By now, the older had moved his head down to Ace's. Slowly and tenderly, he began placing kisses along his lover's jaw and neck.

"Marco!" the younger squeaked in surprise.

"Yes?" the phoenix asked, continuing to apply kisses.

"Someone could hear us!"

Marco smirked and whispered in the fire user's ear, "It's just you and me tonight, yoi. If they're awake, let them hear." With that he trailed a hand over Ace's torso moving it lower, lower...

"Nnnnhhaa..." the younger moaned only to be silenced by a kiss. Marco's touches were getting to be too intense for him, but he _loved_ it. Accepting his situation, he turned in his lover's lap and began moving his lips against Marco's.

Unfortunately, they had been _so_ distracted that they didn't notice another presence on deck.

"My, my. Look at you two," a voice said smugly. They broke apart only to see Izo donned in his usual kimono with his arms crossed.

"Wait! I can explain-"

"No. Let me, yoi-"

He cut them off. "It's about time!" he exclaimed, shocking the two."

They were silent for a moment before Marco was able to voice both his and his lover's thoughts. "Excuse me, yoi?"

"You don't mind?" the younger added.

"Heavens no! The others started a betting pool about you two ages ago! I'm surprised that you didn't know. And besides, did you guys really think you could sneak your little thing past _me_?" the cross dresser sang whilst blowing his nails in satisfaction. "So how long?"

"A month, but, Izo-"

"I see. I was close. Shame I didn't win."

"You too, yoi?!"

Marco was given no response as his fellow commander walked towards the door to the rooms. "You two should enjoy your little secret while it lasts. Sorry, but after tonight, the whole crew's going to know," he finally replied.

The two lovers blushed intensely as Izo continued to walk away.

"Wait!" Ace called, stopping the man in his tracks.

"Yes?"

"Erm- Who won the bet?"

"Ace!" he heard his lover snap with a bit of annoyance.

"Who do you think won?"

"Don't tell me it was Thatch!" the blond blurted.

"Of course not!" the man shot back immediately, pausing as he stood in the doorway. "It was Pops." With that, he left Marco and Ace alone on deck, absolutely speechless.


End file.
